Men’s Haircuts and Hairstyles for 2018

Your haircut is something that everyone pays attention to. Keeping your hair neat and cared for is very important for the overall impression. Every season men’s haircuts and hairstyles change quickly, if you are a fashion-guy, you better keep an eye to the recent hair trends.

However, no matter what is called stylish at the moment, there are three categories all haircuts are divided into long, medium and short. Once you know which length you need, you can go farther to browse the popular options.

Men are often scared of using different types of hair products. This fright usually dictates them their choice. Over the years stylists learned how to come up with interesting hairstyles without the use of hair gel. However, learning how to wield this weapon opens the doors to a whole new world of haircuts.

More artistic types would go for long romantic shags and asymmetrical bobs. They like to experiment with all types of length and colors.

There are so many different hairstyles for men to choose from, that once you start looking, it is easy to lose focus. Take some time to consider your face shape, hair type and the way you feel inside, to understand what you are really looking for. We prepared several useful lists for men of all ages, hair and face types. By browsing the available men’s haircut and hairstyle options, the choice becomes much easier to make.

There are several hairstyles out there, and each is a blend of three factors, including:

Your natural hair type

How your stylist has shaped your natural hair

The products and processes you employed in caring for your hair

Wondering how all of these work together? Well, we have compiled a list of some of the common hairstyles. Note that most of these hairstyles have more than a name. Thus, do not get worried when your stylist calls it something different. It may be due to your location or where your stylist was trained.

Short Haircuts

Most men go for short haircuts. They want a haircut that makes them look strong, business-like, serious and focused. At the same time, such haircut shouldn’t force them to spend more than 3 minutes in front of the mirror.

Butch

The Butch cut is another buzz cut, although much longer. As in the buzz cut, the butch cut involves the use of an electric clipper to trim down the hair to an even length. But contrary to burr, the length here is 1/4″. In Butch, it is possible for the sides to be tapered or faded out around the hairs a bit. If the effect is more pronounced, it becomes more of a “fade” or a “high and tight” style (see pictures below).

Similar to the burr, the butch is popular among men who seek hairstyles that require little or no maintenance, but it is a not as aggressively macho or sporting as the short burr.

High and Tight

This is primarily an extreme fade. In this conventional military style, the sides are shaved close, all the way up to the side of the head. Thus, the hair is only a bit longer for the one inch or two across the top of the skull. The length of the top ranges from 1/8″ to 1/4″, while the rest of the head is shaved closer than 1/8″.

A slight modification may be done to the High and Tight to give the “High and Tight recon” or just a “recon.” And to achieve this, the sides are completely shaved off, thus leaving just a strip up top hair, which appears like a very short Mohawk.

Apart from the military, young men may adopt the style as a low-maintenance look, although with a little touch of style. You may not find High and Tight cuts among men in formal and business settings.

Shaved Head

This is quite straightforward. In a shaved head, you remove every strand of hair, and you are left with a bare scalp in the end. Although it is simple, keeping a shaved head requires consistent upkeep, except you are completely bald naturally.

A shaved head is seen as a sensible hairstyle option for men who are experiencing partial baldness on their head and wants to level out everything. However, many people still attribute a shaved head to rebellion and youthfulness. And it is considered an aggressive style when it comes with visible tattoos.

Fade

Although broad, the term fade generally means having long hair on top of the head, and a progressively shorter version as we approach the sides of the head. The ears are the starting point of the tapering, and it fades down to bare skin around the neckline.

Fade has been around for several decades, especially among men with curly hairs. However, there have been various lengths up top, coming in and out of fashion over this time. The maximum length of the top hair can be achieved by curling up the front into a small pompadour (as shown in the picture below).

Just as in a basic buzz cut, fades are associated with low-maintenance also, although they appear a bit more intentional. Fade is right for men that prefer simple hair maintenance practices, but still wants a bit of style infused into their cut instead of the popular basic utilitarian shapes.

The fading may begin at different spots, and the lengths of the front may differ, depending on your barber. So, ensure that you are clear about your preferences right from the inception.

Burr

This hairstyle involves cutting your hair to an even length of about 1/8″ or less. It is a common practice among barbers doing a burr cut to bring the back of the neckline considerably high, thus leaving a lot of stubble that extends down to the back of the neck.

Burr is popular among military men, athletes, and guys who don’t fancy styling or sweaty tangles. Socially, a burr cut is considered neutral. It is flexible enough to go with any style in almost any situation, although it is slightly unpopular among people that dress corporately.

Flat Top

This follows the same trend as the buzz, but more aggressive. The hair is trimmed to an even height instead of an even length. The appearance is such that the hair is a bit longer on the sides, compared to the very top of the head, when everything is combed straight up. Best results in Flat Top cuts are achieved when the hair is stiffened with products.

In the end, you will have a flat horizontal plane that extends across the top of the head. Depending on the barber, the hair may be rounded out a bit around the edges, or shaped as sharp and boxy as possible.

Flat tops are known to be informal; thus they are popular among athletes, celebrities, and entertainers.

Crew Cut

This is also a buzz cut, but there is a bit of sculpting to it. In crew cut, the sides are tapered, alongside the top, but the tapering of the top is such that it is shorter in the back and longer in the front. Crew cut appears a bit less boxy, compared to a burr or butch, because the edges are normally rounded.

You will find crew cuts mostly in colleges, particularly among frat boys and student-athletes. However, it is a viable option for older men whose hairlines are receding, as they can use the curve of the haircut to level out things around the spots that lack hairs.

Medium-Length Haircuts

There are also men, who are ready to give more than minimal attention to the way their hair looks. Such guys usually have a much bigger choice of haircuts and hairstyles. They can go for medium and long hairstyles, which make them look romantic, artistic and sentimental.

Pompadour

Pompadour are of different variations, but the underlying factor is the bangs being brushed up and back while being fixed into position with a suitable product. The extreme forms of pompadour can appear like an Elvis’do, while the simple versions seem like a basic “duckbill” or brushed-up tips.

You can make bolder fashion statements by increasing the details of the curl in the front. Your pompadour can pass for official appearances and club scenes if the prow on the butch cut is not much. On the other hand, a full wave curling back from your head is not in any way a fit for business appearances.

Bowl Cut

In this style, the hair, although even in length, is left long on the top of the head. It is then cut off at the same height all the way around the head, and usually at nearly eye-level. In the end, the hair attains the appearance of a bowl, which sits on the top of the head while falling to the same height all the way around.

With its ease of execution, it is considered as a haircut made for the home, especially among small children who got their bowl cuts from their mothers. You may also find a bow cut on adults, although, the style is deemed unstylish by for adults by most people.

Caesar Cut

Caesar Cut is another form of the bowl cut, although the bangs are shorter. Caesar cut is worn straightforward and can be brushed down onto the forehead, however, the length must be short such that it doesn’t enter the eyes. Caesar cut is structured to look like Julius Caesar’s cut – bangs pointed downward on his forehead.

This style is suitable for me with straight hair, but men with wavy hair may need a product that will ensure the bangs stay flat on their forehead. The ease and convenience of this style are such that you can neaten it with just your fingers, then comb the bangs forward. With these, the whole of the hair becomes even bowl cut.

Ivy League

A variation of the business cut, the Ivy League is shorter than the business cut, with partings to one of the two sides, and usually requires a gel or a similar fixative. Ivy League can conveniently pass for a “prep” look, once flat and neat.

Business Cut

This cut has different interpretations, but it basically means a hair long enough to lay flat, either naturally or artificially, while being parted to either of the two sides. The hair in the business cut is mostly curved or tapered around the back, trimmed out of your eyes, above the ears, and off the back of the neck.

The business cut is trendy among professionals. The outward appearance of a business cut can be significantly influenced by the product applied, the body of your hair, and the head shape. It is widely accepted across different spheres, so far it is neat and generic.

Layered Cut

This cut adds more style to your hair, although you must use a product. In a layered cut, the hair is varied in lengths, as t proceeds to the side of the head. The final appearance is an irregular “mussed” look. A layered cut offers you several options; you can either comb it into a clean part while using a product that ensures a neatened-up appearance; or using your fingers to muss the whole thing up to give it a brand-new unwinding look.

The lengths and parts of layered cuts can be varied, and it is more popular among men interested in looking humble and at the same time classy.

Fauxhawk

The name of this cut can come in different forms; fauxhawk – a portmanteau of “faux”; and Mohawk – a “fake Mohawk.”

In this cut – Mohawk – there is a clean shaving off the sides of the head; only a strip with one or two inches width is left on the top of the head. The appearance of a sharp ridge along the top of the scalp is achieved by brushing the hairs upward and at an inward angle.

Full mohawks are taller than fauxhawks, although, no particular distinction exists between the two. In a broad sense, however, the maximum height of a fauxhawk will be one or two inches, and the shape is more rounded. A little pompadour curl may be added at the front also, to achieve a merger of pompadour and fauxhawk. The styles are considerably social and may be criticized in conservative workplaces.

Brush Cut

As the name implies, a brush cut leaves your hair with an appearance of the bristles on a brush. The hair on top of the head is shortened, while left standing, just like the bristles on a brush. The sides are usually faded out down around the ears. Products are typically used in achieving this style, especially in men with loosely uncurled hairs.

From fairly natural to considerably stiffly artificial looks, ranges of brush cuts are common among young men. There have been instances where the tips in brush cuts and similar upward-pointing styles were dyed, although such practice is now out of fashion.

Taper Cut

The taper cut is mostly a fade cut, but the hair around is usually longer: the hair on the top has enough length to lie flat under its weight, and becomes progressively thinner down the sides of the head, due to trimming.

The sharp cutoff is the only thing that differentiates taper cut from Ivy League or a Business cut, because the hair also extends down below the ears and onto the neck’s nape, although a bit shorter instead of having it removed completely.

Long Haircuts

Dreadlocks

Dreadlocks have an African-American origin. Although it occurs naturally in most individuals, it can be achieved artificially by adding more or less effort, depending on the kind of hair. The casual style of dreadlocks are the long, matted coils. However, several black celebrities have donned dreadlocks alongside first-class business wears, and this has increased their reach and prominence.

It is best to keep dreads healthy, and this involves some consistent meticulous maintenance.

Front Bangs

In front bangs, the usually grown out bangs are brushed downward, until it falls right in front of the eyes. You can match this with lengths and parts of any number, although it can appear like a form of shelter. The front bangs cut has been linked to goth culture, emo music, and similar moody youth fashions.

Beach cut

In the beach cut, the hair is grown long both at the back and the front, while being pushed straight back to achieve a crested appearance of the hair from the forehead, after which it falls away towards the back of the head. Popularly referred to as the surfer-dude look, beach cut may require the addition of a product to ensure that the long bangs stay in position, rather than falling forward over the face.

The Beach cut has varieties in length, but it must reach the back of the neck at least. In other instances, it may extend all the way down the back. Beach cuts are not for formal settings, although if done the right way, and with the proper product, it exudes style in the company of good clothes.

Mohawk

Mohawk is a better fit for outings than corporate meetings. In the Mohawk, the hair at the sides is entirely shaved while the one in the middle is greased straight up. The middle hair can either be made into a single pointed ridge or a series of spikes.

To get something extra, the long Mohawks can be dyed.

Bon Jovi

This cut is named after Bon Jovi, the rock star, and is the most adopted “big hair” appearance of the 80s. The hair is long and not parted, and using a product, it is teased into piles of curls. Most people consider Bon Jovi as an exaggerated look; thus, they believe it is best matched with sophisticated fashion or counter-culture trappings.

Bon Jovi is fit for rock concerts, but off for official outings or work purposes.

Presenting Your Choice To Your Barber

The concept of GIGO – Garbage In, Garbage Out – has been around since time immemorial. While you may think that this is only peculiar to the computer world, it is also applicable in the hairstyling industry. Simply put, GIGO here means; it is precisely what you ask for that you get in the end. Thus, if you fail to communicate your preferences in clear terms to your barber, he or she will end up doing a cut based on the info they were able to extract from your explanations.

How to Ask Your Barber for The Haircut You Want?

To ensure that your desires are clear to your barber, try out the following tips:

Offer An Example

You ever considered pulling out a magazine clipping of a celebrity wearing the kind of hair you want, and saying “please can you style my hair like this?” Perhaps it seems a little embarrassing, but this actually works.

If you want the exact hair like that of Barack Obama, feel free to tell your barber so. Likewise, you can come along with a picture of Barack Obama too, just in case, your barber is not really sure what Obama’s hairstyle looks like.

With the advent of smartphones, this is even better. Just download some shots of your favorite hairstyle and show them all to your barber. With these clear explanations, your barber will be able to assess your hair and see if it is fit for the proposed style. If it is, you proceed, and if not, you can work on a way out together.

However, providing a concrete example is arguably the best way to ensure that you and your barber are in sync. If possible, you can complement your description with visual and verbal descriptions.

Describe The Outline Clearly

Outlines are essential to good haircuts. If your preference is a hair that goes up all the way off your ears, feel free to explain to your barber; a phrase like, “above the ears, please” will do just perfectly fine. In other situations, it may be “off the neck,” or “out of the eyes,” among others.

With this, you are clearly defining where you want your hair to stop, i.e., where the bare skin will begin and where the cut will stop. If your choice is a fade, you may find appropriate descriptive phrases about fading, like, “Fading out above the ears,” and similar ones useful. This means you are telling your barber where the graduated buzz to begin after the cut must have ended.

Giving your barber a certain style does not stop you from defining your outline. For instance, if you tell your barber you want a crew cut without defining the outlines, you may end up with a different shape than what another barber will offer you.

Explain Your Choice Of Texture

You do not expect your barber to know the type of texture you prefer just by telling him the name of your preferred style. Thus, it is important that you take time to explain how you want the surface of your hair shaped, especially, if you are looking at getting a long style.

Different tools bring different looks; electric trimmers will deliver a shorter, spikier and more uniform texture; whereas scissors combined with a straight razor will give a choppier, more layered, and overall thinner appearance.

In describing your texture of choice, be sure to be clear on how even and how thick you want it to be. If you’re going to reduce the volume, or you want it to be choppy, layered, even, and smooth; be clear in your explanations.

Be Specific

This last step is not compulsory, but if you seek total control of your look, and you have researched quite well, then you can tell your barber your preference at some specific points of the barbing process. Let us check out these points:

Neckline

The neckline refers to how the bottom edge of the haircut in the back is shaped. Another name for the neckline is the nape, although nape is closer to depicting the back of the neck itself.

When your neckline is BLOCKED, it means it squares off essentially across the bottom. Scissors and trimmers are the right tools for the job. Although it is easy to achieve, a blocked neckline becomes ragged in appearance in no time. To keep the neatness, you may need to do some trimming at home or visit your barber regularly.

When your neckline is ROUNDED, the shape is a gentle arch shape at the bottom. The longest part of the line is at the middle of the neck, but it sweeps up a bit to the sides. Compared to the blocked style, the only difference is that it (rounded style) appears a little less chunky.

When your neckline is TAPERED, the neckline is faded out progressively, using the trimmers. A gradient is what you have Instead of a bowed or straight clear line. The tapered neckline is a style of patience and in-depth skills, but it grows out more evenly, compared to other styles. It fits more in shorter cuts that are already ending high on the neck.

Arches

The arches refer to the spaces separating your haircut and your ears. For several styles that falls below the air, they are basically arch-shaped, and they hook over the ear, hence the name – arches.

Arches can be HIGH when a little more bare skin is left between your ear and your hairline, leaving your ears with a bit of extra prominence. It is useful for individuals with small ears, or people who want their head to appear generally wider.

In NATURAL arches, the arch hugs the ears. Depending on your style, there will be different amounts of hair down around the ear. It is the best option, except for individuals whose ears are getting covered entirely by their hairs.

In TAPERED arches, the arch fades out around the ear, just as the kind of fading seen in a tapered neckline, across the back of the neck. Tapered arches go with cuts with another taper on the sides because a sharp cut extending down from the side of your head will look weird if it hits the arch and then suddenly transforms into a clean line.

Sideburns

These are the tufts of the hair that extends down to your facial hair from behind your ears (if you have facial hair). Short sideburns complement most cuts, however, if you spot a beard that extends all the way up your cheeks, a more natural option will be to leave the sideburns to grow till they can be joined.

Feel free to tell your barber if you don’t want him to thin your sideburns down considerably short. If you do not, he will assume you want them trimmed down.

And there you have it – everything you need to know about your hair, including the color, texture, thickness, and how they all define you. With this information, you are better equipped to make a choice of style that matches your preferences and maintenance needs.